LAKE ELSINORE: New Lakeside principal fills familiar shoes

When Peter Hopping got the keys to the doors as the new
principal at
Lakeside High
School
, it was almost like a brother receiving the keys to the
family car handed down by a sibling.

Hopping
, the third principal at the 6-year-old school, is
taking over from his good friend, Jason Moscowitz, who left
Lakeside to become director of professional development in the
Hemet school district.

"I look at this as a super car or a hot rod, and all the right
parts are here," Hopping said. "It just needs a little tuneup. This
school is a phenomenal place to be, but I can bring in a little bit
different perspective, some new ideas, and continue to improve on
something that's already doing very well."

This is the first job as principal for Hopping, 37, but he's
certainly no newcomer to school.

From undergoing his education, teaching and then working as an
administrator, Hopping has been in school nearly every day since he
started kindergarten.

Hopping grew up in West Covina and earned bachelor's and
master's degrees from the University of La Verne, where he played
soccer. He earned a doctorate in educational leadership and
administration from La Sierra University.

Before Lakeside, he was a middle school principal for three
years, then an assistant principal at Santiago High in Corona the
last six years.

After one year as a middle school teacher, Hopping was hired for
a similar position at his alma mater, Covina High, where he worked
with some of the educators he said inspired him to become a teacher
in the first place.

Hopping said there is no need for sweeping changes at the
1,950-student Lake Elsinore campus.

"The school is doing some phenomenal stuff," he said. "I'm not
here to flip this place upside down. The school's got too many good
things going on for me to come in and think I'm going to change a
lot."

Hopping admits he has a lot to learn, saying he didn't set foot
on the Lakeside campus until his first day of work Aug. 15.

"When (Superintendent Frank) Passarella brought me in, he didn't
give me any marching orders or 'must dos'," Hopping said. "He's
given me the opportunity to come in and feel my way through it and
get to know the staff, get to know the students. Kind of just pick
and choose what I can improve upon at a school that already is
doing some really great stuff."

Hopping said he hopes to make a difference for students.

"Many of these students truly need the adults here on this
campus in order to help clear the path for them to do something
bigger or better than what their aspirations may have been before,"
Hopping said. "As adults on the Lakeside campus, we can make a huge
difference on the future of these students."

Being so young, Hopping said he's already been asked what his
next career move will be. He said he's not looking beyond
Lakeside.

"This is what I want to do," he said. "I can't put a timeline on
it, but I can't see myself leaving in two or three years. I feel
like it's a good fit for me. It's what I've wanted to do for a long
time. I don't have one foot out the door. Gosh, I just got my foot
in the door."

Hopping met
Moscowitz
when the two were assistant principals in the
Corona-Norco school district. When Moscowitz left Lakeside, he
urged his friend to apply for the job.

"Pete's a good guy. He has a heart for children," Moscowitz
said. "I knew he'd bring a unique perspective. He always will focus
on kids."

Hopping lives in Rancho Cucamonga with his wife, Heather, and
three daughters ---- Zoe, 8, Brynn, 7, and Sage, 2.